Nutrition Facts For Chips And Cheese

Chips with cheese is commonly referred to as nachos, a popular snack at movies and sporting events. While you get a small amount of key nutrients from a serving of chips with cheese, you also get an unhealthy dose of calories and fat, including a large amount of saturated fat. If you enjoy a plate of chips with cheese, the nutrition information might motivate you to opt for a healthier snack in the future.

Calories and Fat

Combined, your snack of chips and cheese contains 599 calories. A 3.5 oz. serving of chips contains 489 calories, and a 1/4 cup serving of cheese sauce contains 110 calories. You also get a significant dose of fat from your nachos. A serving of chips contains 23.36 grams of total fat, and 2.81 grams of that is saturated. The cheese sauce adds 8.37 grams of total fat, with 3.78 grams of that being saturated. Because this snack is so high in unhealthy saturated fat, limit it to an occasional treat.

Sodium

Both chips and cheese are significant sources of sodium. The American Heart Association reports that your daily intake of sodium should not exceed 1,500 milligrams. A diet that contains too much salt might put you at an elevated risk for high blood pressure or a stroke. A serving of chips contains 421 mg of sodium, and a serving of cheese sauce contains 522 mg.

Calcium

Cheese, even cheese sauce, is a good source of calcium. Chips also supply a healthy amount of calcium, even if they are not considered a healthy food. Calcium helps you build and maintain a proper amount of bone mass, and it also plays an important role in the health of your muscles, nerves, blood vessels and hormonal systems. You should try to consume 1,000 mg of calcium on a daily basis. A serving of chips contributes 174 mg toward this goal, and a serving of cheese sauce contributes 116 mg.

Additional Nutrients

Your serving of chips provides you with 5.3 g of fiber and 7.79 g of protein. Cheese sauce contains 4.23 grams of protein, but does not contribute any fiber to your snack. A serving of chips also contains 2.32 mg of iron, 215 mg of potassium, 2.46 mg of zinc and small amounts of vitamin E, folic acid, B vitamins and vitamin K. Cheese sauce contributes 199 international units, or IU, of vitamin A to your nachos.